1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a multi-plate clutch for a motor vehicle with at least one intermediate plate arranged between friction facings, two pressure plates for pretensioning the friction facings toward the intermediate plate, and a spring element for separating the pressure plates and the intermediate plate from the friction facings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multi-plate clutches are characterized in that they are capable of transmitting high torques. The known multi-plate clutch has a plurality of spring elements arranged radially outside of the intermediate plate for pressing apart the pressure plates. When the pressure plates are spread apart by the spring elements, no transmission of torque should take place between a shaft which is connected with the friction facings so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to them and a shaft conlected with the pressure plates.
A disadvantage in this known arrangement for a known multi-plate clutch is that the intermediate plate is not reliably separated from the friction facings. The lack of reliable separation leads to high wear of the friction facings and to an unnecessary heating of the friction facings. The heat generated in this respect must subsequently be removed from the multi-plate clutch in a costly manner. Further, the drag torque brought about by the grinding of the friction facings puts a strain on a synchronization device of a transmission arranged downstream.